Clothes-tongs.



PATENTBD JAN. 2, 1906.

F. L. BLOMQUIST.

CLOTHES TONGS. APPLIOATION FI ED Amma, 1904.

INVENTOR frazzl'Lfi/omyazlri Br a v ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:- /Z Q UNiTEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1906.

Application filed April 18, 1904. Serial No. 203 734..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK LUDVIG BLOM- oolsn ag'citizenof the UnitedStates, and a resident of Sanders, in the county of Kootenai and Stateof Idaho, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Tongs, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes-tongs; and the objectof the invention, stated in general terms,is to provide a device of thecharacter specified which is simple, light, strong, inexpensive, anddurable and which may be more conveniently used in handling clothes inthe process of washing than other devices of similar character now inuse.

With the object above stated and others in view, as will hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the improved clothes-tongs hereinafterfully described andhaving the novel features thereof particularlypointed out in'the appended claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a view of the tongs in side elevation. Fig. 2 is an edgeview of the tongs. Fig. 3 is a sectional view upon the line 3 3 of Fig.1; and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the plane of Fig. 3, showingthe position of the tong-jaws when closed.

Referring to the drawings, 1 1 designate two similar jaw members, eachof which is provided at its upper end with a shank portion 2 ofsubstantially the same shape in cross-section as the jaw members and disposed at a slight angle to the main portion of the jaw member andterminating in a shoulder 3. The shank portions 2 2 of the jaw membersare rigidly connected by suitable fastenings, as by transverse fasteningmembers 4, to form a round shank 5 for the tongs. The main portions ofthe two jaw members 1 1 diverge slightly from the shank of the tongs, asshown, so as to be normally spaced apart at the ends opposite the shankto receive clothes between them. Each of the jaw members 1 1 ispreferably rounded on its outer surface and fiat upon its inner surface,as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and near the shoulders 3 3 the aw membersare thinned by the formation of concavities 6 upon their inner surfaces,thus insuring sufficient flexibility of the jaw members near the shankof the tongs.

Substantially midway between their ends the jaw members 1 1 have theedges thereof rounded, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, for reasons that willhereinafter appear.

The tongs above described are preferably made of hard wood for the sakeof lightness, though other materials may be employed. It is alsopreferable to make the-tongs of two pieces in the manner described andto connect the shank portions of the two jaw members in the manner shownto form the shank of the tongs.

As the tongs above described are extremely light, they may beconveniently manipulated with one hand to lift light articles ofclothing from the boiler or washer, and the jaw members are sufficientlyflexible in the thinned portions thereof near the shank of the tongs toenable the jaw members to be easily brought into gripping engagementwith an article of clothing by the use of one hand only. In handlingheavie'r'articles of clothing the tongs are manipulated with two hands,one hand grasping the shank and the other grasping the aw members of thetongs substantially midway between their ends, where the edges of the awmembers are rounded. When manipulating the tongs to wind long garmentsaround them, so that they may be conveniently lifted out of the washeror boiler, the rounded edges of the jaw members permit the turning ofthe tongs within the hands without any discomfort to the user of thetongs and without any interference with the rapid turning movement ofthe tongs.

The construction of the tongs without the use of springs, hinges, or thelike to connect the j aw members 1s of special advantage inclothes-tongs, because the absence of hinges, springs, or otherconnecting devices makes it impossible for the tongs to catch in thegarments handled and tear them.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent A device of the character described comprising twosimilar jaw members, each provided at its upper end with a comparativelyshort half-round shank portion, these shank portions being rigidlysecured together in flat engagement with each other to form a singleround shank 0r handle for the tongs, the main portions of the two jawmembers being of substantially similar cross-sectional shape with saidshank members and diverging slightly from each other as they extenddownwardly from said handle, said jaws and shank portions havingshoulders at their point of union with each other, said j aws being cutaway on their inner flat sides at their upper ends to render themspringy at that polnt.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK LUDVIG BLOMQUIST.

Witnesses:

CHAS. G. TAYLOR, H. B. ARNOLD.

